Brasilia: Thousands of women rallied Wednesday in support of President Dilma Rousseff, whose poll numbers have plummeted amid a national scandal involving state oil company Petrobras.

The beleaguered Brazilian leader addressed the gathering, vowing not to let the country go backwards, even amid difficult economic times.

"We won`t allow any reversal of the social and democratic progress in our country," Rousseff declared to enthusiastic applause as the event wound down.

The show of support comes just days after a recent opinion poll found that Rousseff is Brazil`s most unpopular democratically elected president since the end of the military dictatorship more than 30 years ago.

Her approval ratings have been just eight percent. Two-thirds of Brazilians say they want her impeached.

Nevertheless, female supporters turned out in force to back Rousseff, the first woman to govern Brazil.

"I will continue working to honor and fulfill your dreams," said Rousseff, who in January began her second term as the nation`s president.

Rousseff is under siege because of a corruption scandal at the state-run oil giant Petrobras that has also implicated her ruling Workers` Party.

She chaired the board of the company from 2003 to 2010, a period during which the corruption allegedly flourished. She has not, however, been personally implicated in the scandal.

Another protest planned for Sunday has been called by Rousseff opponents who are calling for her resignation.